


In which Rin is a horrible friend, but Haru doesn't mind for once

by Fletchinder



Category: Free!
Genre: But only a bit, Clubbing sucks when your friends ditch you, Drinking, M/M, crappy pickup lines, rin is a bad friend, sousuke is a bad not-boyfriend, thank BK for having fish burgers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-10
Updated: 2014-10-10
Packaged: 2018-02-20 15:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2433434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fletchinder/pseuds/Fletchinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr promt: 'i'm pretending to be ur bff bc u looked VERY uncomfortable with that person at the bar hitting on u' AU</p><p>In which Haruka is ditched again and has to hear the worst pick-up line in history. No matter how much he loved water, he was beginning to doubt that a year long membership for the city's largest pool was worth it.  And coming from Haruka, that said a lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In which Rin is a horrible friend, but Haru doesn't mind for once

Haruka had no idea why he had even agreed to this. He knew that he never enjoyed himself, when hitting bars with his friend... Having moved to Tokyo two years ago, the only person he really knew was still just Rin, who had somehow convinced him to go out drinking. Again. Why did he agree with this? Ah, yes. A year long membership for the city's largest pool. No matter how much he loved water, he was beginning to doubt that this was worth it. And coming from Haruka, that said a lot.

The music was too loud and the body heat of all the people that had decided to go out partying on this Friday night made him slightly sick, wishing that he had just gotten the damn membership himself. Owing Rin for the rest of the year would leave him almost no time at the pool anyways, as often as the other boy dragged him along for something like this.

At least Rin didn't seem like to want to ditch him this time. Haruka didn't understand why he had to come along every time, when the energetic redhead just wanted to find a fling for the night anyway and left him to go home alone.

Said boy was currently ordering some drinks for both of them and Haruka even had to smile slightly. This could be a nice evening and Rin even promised him not to leave him for the first 'more attractive than average' dude. Rin was surprisingly serious when it came to keeping his word.

So, of course something else had to come along and ruin the evening for him. It was probably the pool gods punishment for not using his pool membership enough. Studying and redheaded friends were keeping him from it quite well... Just as Rin came back to the table with their drinks in hand, Rin's oldest friend, Sousuke, seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, which really pained Haruka, as the taller boy had some sort of agenda against him, but he couldn't figure out for the life of him why. He wasn't blind though, so he had a slight clue, especially when the tall, intimidating guy laid his arm around the redhead, while sparing Haruka only a glare.

Rin was obviously happy at the fact that he had just ran into them. Such a surprise. Haruka swore that the man had implanted a microchip under Rin's skin during his sleep to track him.... The redhead set Haruka's drink down, before looking at him with pleading eyes, so he let out a small sigh, turning his head away. “Whatever.” 

Great. Now he was all alone, while Rin enjoyed his time with his 'not-boyfriend' on the dance floor. Not that he really minded being alone that much, but clubbing and alcohol were pretty boring without having Rin to talk to. He knew he shouldn't think like that, since at least no drunk guys were hitting on him this time. It happened surprisingly often and was something Haruka never really understood. Normal guys, suddenly trying to hit on anything with legs and a pulse, but then again, he had probably never been as drunk as them before. Drinking wasn't his favorite past time as he didn't even like the taste of alcohol, but Rin didn't allow him to drink soda.

It seemed like he had just jinxed himself though, when a boy with light pink hair sat down right in front of him. He was cursed. Why did this always have to happen? Not changing his expression in the slightest, he took a sip of his drink and hoped that the boy would leave him alone, once he noticed that Haruka wasn't interested at all.

The other boy didn't seem to mind his serious expression and just kept smiling. There was just something about that guy that rubbed him the wrong way. Kinda like Sousuke, but at least Haruka knew why he disliked Sousuke. Most people disliked other people, who looked like they'd love to smash their face in.

“Hi there, cutie!” Oh no. One of those guys. Haruka looked up in slight confusion, unsure how to reply. He was not good at talking with strangers... But apparently he didn't have to, because the guy just winked at him and kept talking. “I'm Kisumi. Wanna Kisumi?”

He knew enough English to understand the joke, which only caused the warning signals in his head to grow louder and his eyes to widen a bit more. Oh no, he was not fit to handle this. Where was Rin? Why did he always have to leave, when he knew that Haruka commonly found himself in these awkward situations? Also, that had been one of the most creative, but still worst pick up lines he had even heard, which made this whole situation somehow even worse.

Deciding to stare at the table until the boy got the hint, Haruka was just in the middle of promising himself that he'd never go drinking with Rin or do anything at all with him again, when he felt someone slide down to sit next to him. 

Huh?

It was another guy, that seemed just as tall as Sousuke, although the expression in his face and his eyes were much gentler. Not unlike a big teddy bear. Haruka shook his head at that thought and was just about to ask him what he thought he was doing, but felt an arm around him and the new stranger beat him to talking first anyway. “Hello, I see that you're trying to ask my friend out, but you see, we're kinda having a best friends night out. So, sadly, he really can't accept your offer. We promised no dates for tonight. Isn't that right?” Haruka nodded once, playing along. What exactly was going on?

Kisumi looked just as surprised as Haruka felt, but then returned the stranger's smile and stood up. “Ah, I see. Too bad, really.” With that he looked around, presumably searching for another guy that would be more willing to spend the night with him.

When the pink haired boy was out of sight, the stranger next to him quickly pulled his arm away from him and had a worried look on his face. “I am so sorry! Honestly!” He even hung his head in, what Haruka assumed to be, shame. “I really didn't mean to get that close, b-but you looked so horribly uncomfortable that I just felt like I had to help you out! Ah, I probably shouldn't have gotten so close- and my arm-... Ah, again, sorry!”

Haruka didn't know how to answer that, still being a bit shocked. But when the tall boy stood up and got ready to leave, wearing a bright blush and an uncertain expression on his face, he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and grabbing his wrist. “Wait.” He paused for a moment, before glancing up at the rather handsome boy. “... thanks.” That was a word that didn't often leave his mouth in front of strangers. “I was pretty uncomfortable.” 

The guy suddenly smiled at him and Haruka felt like the club had gotten a lot brighter in an instant. “Whew, I'm glad to hear that! Didn't want to ruin your evening with that or something....” He chuckled in relief, looking down where Haruka held his wrist. “My actual friends kinda ditched me during this evening, so I could stay with you for a while. Uhm, if you want me to-... only so that no one bothers you with bad pick up lines anymore!” His blush was back full force.

“Yeah, that'd be helpful.” He felt a bit bad for such a nice guy to get ditched, but at least now he could wait until Rin came back. Which he wouldn't. Haruka had learned from the last twenty-eight times Rin had dragged him along for clubbing.

“I'm Makoto, by the way. Nice to meet you! Even if the circumstances aren't the best.” The guy, now named Makoto, rubbed the back of his head in slight embarrassment as he sat down again.

Haruka had always been a bit annoyed by his name, but since Makoto had given him his first name right away, he'd feel weird to give the guy his last name. “I'm Haru.” That was at least somewhat better than 'Haruka'.

Makoto was smiling at him now, so Haruka looked at his glass, not sure what to say the him.

Thankfully though, Makoto sensed that he wasn't that good at talking and began to speak himself. “I' m guessing that you like clubbing as much as I do, hm? It honestly isn't that bad, unless your friends leave you to have some time alone together...”

So the same thing had happened to them. Haruka had to smile a bit at that. At least now they were alone together as well now. “I guess so.” He already started to like Makoto. He was calm and really nice, not asking questions that pressured him into answering, which made him lose some of his tension.

His eyes wandered around the club, wondering if he would be able to spot Rin, but he was interrupted by his stomach, remembering him that he had skipped lunch and dinner today, in favor of spending some more time in the pool. Haruka never claimed to have made the best choices in his life, okay?

Makoto somehow heard his rioting stomach over the music, which would cause any normal person to worry. The olive haired boy only looked at his wristwatch, before giving Haruka another smile. “The Burger King across the street is still open as far as I know. I'm pretty hungry too, if I'm honest.” He cocked his head a bit.

It wasn't a very difficult decision to make. Wait for someone who wasn't coming back, or go eat something with the friendliest guy he had met until now in Tokyo. Makoto stood up and offered Haruka his hand to do the same.

Looking the hand for a moment, before accepting it, he got up as well. They shoved their way through the crowd, still hand in hand, so they wouldn't lose each other by accident, which was quite possible with this amount of humans around them. Haruka noticed how small his hand were, compared to Makoto's.

Once they were outside, they let go of each other, Makoto with a small blush and Haruka with a sigh, happy to be out of there. The fast food joint was indeed still open, so he glanced at the other boy and both walked across the street, following the calls of their hungry bodies. 

They got inside and Haruka told his new acquaintance to order something for him as well, while he'd find them a table to sit. Makoto looked like he wanted to argue, but he was already walking towards a free table. 

After he sat down, a few minutes passed until Makoto arrived with their food, again with an uncertain expression on his face. “I didn't know what you'd like so I got us a bit of everything. Just take whatever you want to and I'll take the rest!” 

From there on they took what they liked, Haruka immediately going for the fish burger. Makoto was starting to talk about his two friends he entered the club with and the smaller boy listened without replying, looking out of the window. It wasn't like what Makoto said was annoying or boring, but he simply liked the sound of Makoto's voice. It was calm and had a very pleasant tone. That's why Haruka didn't plan on interrupting him.

The other boy seemed to understand that Haruka was a quiet person, who just didn't talk much, so he kept the conversation up with occasional nods or head shakes from the other boy.

It didn't take long for the food to be gone and both of them leaning back into their seats, being way too full. Soon Makoto spoke up again. “Thanks for joining me for dinner, Haru.” Again with that smile that could light up entire rooms...

Haruka looked away, having no idea how to respond to that. “How much do I owe you?” He should at least give him the money he had spent on him back.

“Oh no, don't worry about that! I really had fun tonight, so I'm inviting you.” The boy was obviously too friendly for his own good, but Haruka only looked at the tablet, now filled with trash. “Anyway, I'll have to leave soon, I'm on duty tomorrow.”

Oh yeah, there was something about volunteering as a fireman on the weekends. Haruka nodded. “I'll go home as well.” Rin was probably already at Sousuke's anyway. 

“Ah, great! I'd feel bad for leaving you all alone.” He got up and Haruka did the same, both leaving the restaurant.

“A-ah, I had fun tonight.” The tall boy fiddled a bit with fingers and then looked up at him once more. “We-... we could exchange numbers, in case our friends decide to ditch us once more.”

That was what he was nervous about? “Sure.” He watched as Makoto pulled his phone out and Haruka gave him his number.

“Great! I'll send you a text, so you'll have mine as well.” The olive haired boy chuckled slightly. “I better go now. Need to be fit tomorrow.” Makoto gave him a slight wave and then began walking towards the opposite direction that Haruka needed to go.

He still stood there for a while, watch the boy leave. What a strange, but pleasant evening. And no, Haruka didn't dream about him that very night.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! Thanks so much for sticking around til the end! It's my first story here on ao3 ♡
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos or a comment, if you find any mistakes or have something to criticize, I always strive to improve!
> 
> Promt: i'm pretending to be ur bff bc u looked VERY uncomfortable with that person at the bar hitting on u' AU → http://sylveonismyqueen.tumblr.com/post/99281540569
> 
> Haru's distress signals → http://youtu.be/EZrTVBlb21o?t=51s


End file.
